The Big Room

The Big Room is the second and final studio album by Norwegian pop music duo M2M.

The album, despite a positive response from music critics and huge success in Asia, did not perform as well as their previous album Shades of Purple and failed to chart in the United States. However, it did manage to reach #16 on the Norwegian charts and become certified 5x Platinum in the Philippines.

Musical style and critical response

The Big Room took a different musical direction compared to their first album Shades of Purple. M2M dubbed their style "organic pop", as opposed to the computerized music which was then (and now) utilized by other artists. Self-penned songs like "Miss Popular" and "Everything" had hook-laden pop melodies, smart-and-sassy-themed lyrics and featured the group's trademark harmony vocals.

The album was recorded at the Bearsville Studios in New York City. The album takes its title from the main space at the renowned recording facility. The goal of the album was to create a natural guitar-based pop sound reminiscent of personal M2M's inspirations like Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow and Jewel. Throughout the album, M2M's songs attempt to capture the many feelings of teenage romance, from infatuation to jealousy.

James Hunter of The Village Voice reviewed the album, saying, "This is a pop masterpiece." Hunter adds, "Given how much ornery old teenpop has long eaten into the happiness of rock fans and commentators, it's understandable that 'The Big Room' seeks to reposition M2M toward the real."

Lead singer Marion Raven has stated on the album: "The songs are always about things we experience and think about," Marion says. "This album is mostly about love, but there's also songs about jealousy, about how we see the world." She also spoke about how they approached the album as opposed to their first, further saying, "One the first album we were all about finding who we were. Everything was new to us, songwriting, traveling, and the producers. Everything! On this album we knew exactly what we wanted. We wanted to make a 'real' album. With a live band in the studio, with our songs and a producer we knew would listen to our ideas. It's a lot different then the first record. You change a lot from 14 to 17."

Track listing

1. "Everything" (Marit Larsen/Marion Raven/Peter Zizzo/Jimmy Bralower) – 4:11
2. "Jennifer" (Marion Raven/Marit Larsen) – 3:08
3. "Don't" (Marit Larsen/Marion Raven) – 3:27
4. "Payphone" (Marit Larsen/Marion Raven) – 3:16
5. "What You Do About Me" (Marit Larsen/Marion Raven/Peter Zizzo/Jimmy Bralower) – 3:05
6. "Love Left For Me" (Marion Raven) – 4:15
7. "Miss Popular" (Marit Larsen/Marion Raven/Peter Zizzo) – 3:06
8. "Wanna Be Where You Are" (Marion Raven) – 3:26
9. "Leave Me Alone" (Marion Raven) – 3:08
10. "Sometimes" (Marion Raven/Marit Larsen) – 2:53
11. "Eventually" (Marion Raven/Marit Larsen) – 3:01

Singles

• "Everything" — first single from The Big Room. The single was released in March 2002 in the US and the rest of the world, although the music video began airing in Southeast Asia in mid-November 2001. The Big Room was also released in the region with different cover art. The music video was directed by Chris Applebaum, showing M2M singing while driving, and on a red stage in the middle of a field. The video showcased M2M's mature look which had evolved from their first album.

• "What You Do About Me" — second single from The Big Room. The music video was directed by Tryan George in Krabi, Thailand. It was M2M's last video ever.

• "Wanna Be Where You Are" — only released in the Philippines shortly before the band's dissolution.

• "Don't" — a strictly US-only promo single. It was also released as a CD single, and had no music video to accompany its release, along with "Wanna Be Where You Are".

Charts

Release history

References

External links

• Marit Larsen official website
• Marion Raven official website